Top 10 Best Puppy Dog Foods

Top 10 Best Puppy Dog Foods

Looking for the best food for your puppy dog? Look no further! In this article, we will discuss the best puppy dog foods in 2022. We’ll cover a variety of different types of food, so you can find the perfect one for your furry friend. Keep reading to learn more about puppy dog food and how to choose the right one for your pet.

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  • Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Puppy Dry Dog Food
  • Iams Proactive Health Smart Puppy Food
  • Pedigree Puppy Growth & Protection Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food
  • NomNomNow Subscription Dog Food
  • Royal Canin Small Puppy Dry Dog Food
  • Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Recipe Mini Puppy Dry Dog Food
  • Royal Canin Small Puppy Wet Dog Food
  • Pupper Beef Topper
  • Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Large-Breed Formula Dry Dog Food
  • Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Dry Dog Food
  • Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  • Bully Max 30/20 High Performance Dog Food
  • ORIJEN Puppy Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food
  • Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy Natural Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
  • Puppy Chow Tender & Crunchy with Real Beef Dry Dog Food
  • Purina ONE Natural, High Protein +Plus Healthy Puppy Formula Dry Puppy Food
  • Diamond Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food
  • Puppy Chow Complete With Chicken & Rice Dry Dog Food
  • Purina Beneful Healthy Puppy With Farm Raised Chicken High Protein Dry Dog Food
  • Wellness Complete Health Puppy Deboned Chicken
  • Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food
  • Blue Buffalo Baby Blue Small Breed Healthy Growth Formula
  • Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
  • Fromm Family Puppy Gold Dog Food
  • Blue Buffalo Baby Blue Healthy Growth Formula

What should I look for in the best puppy dog foods?

  • When you are looking for the best puppy dog food, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. The first is that you want to make sure that the food is high in protein.
  • Puppies need a lot of protein to help them grow and develop properly. You also want to make sure that the food is easy to digest. Puppies’ stomachs are very sensitive, so you want to make sure that the food you choose will be easy on their tummies.
  • Finally, you want to make sure that the food is rich in vitamins and minerals. Puppies need all of these nutrients to grow up healthy and strong.

What’s the difference between Puppy Food and Adult Dog Food?

  • Puppy food is formulated to meet the needs of growing puppies. Adult dog food is formulated for adult dogs. Puppy foods typically contain more calories and higher levels of protein than adult dog foods.
  • Adult dog food may not have the right balance of nutrients for a growing puppy. Puppyhood is an important time of growth and development, so it’s important to feed your puppy a food that meets their specific needs.

What type of diet and daily routine do puppies need?

  • Puppies need a diet that is high in protein and easy to digest. They also need a lot of exercise. Puppies should be taken on two or three walks a day, and they should have plenty of time to run and play.
  • Finally, puppies need a lot of love and attention. They need to be cuddled and played with often. If you provide all of these things for your puppy, they will grow up to be a happy and healthy dog.

Should different puppy breeds eat different foods?

Puppy foods are formulated to meet the needs of all puppy breeds. However, large-breed puppies may need a food that contains fewer calories to help prevent them from growing too quickly. Consult your veterinarian if you have concerns about what type of food is best for your puppy.

How do I know if my puppy is getting enough Puppy Food?

  • Puppies should gain weight at a steady rate. You should be able to feel their ribs, but they shouldn’t be visible. If you’re concerned about your puppy’s weight, consult your veterinarian.
  • Puppies typically eat more as they grow and their activity levels increase. If you notice that your puppy is eating less, consult your veterinarian to make sure there isn’t an underlying health issue.

Should I feed my new puppy wet food or dry food?

There are a few things to consider when making this decision, such as your puppy’s age, activity level, and overall health. If you’re unsure of what type of food to feed your puppy, consult with your veterinarian.

Wet food can be a good option for puppies who are teething, as it can be softer and easier to chew. Wet food can also be a good option for puppies who are picky eaters or those who need to gain weight.

Dry food, on the other hand, can be a good option for puppies who are less active, as it is often lower in calories. Dry food can also be a good option for puppies who are already at a healthy weight.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to feed your puppy wet food or dry food is up to you and should be based on your puppy’s individual needs. If you have any concerns, be sure to speak with your veterinarian.

Best Fresh Dog Food for Puppies

If you want one of the very best puppy foods available for your cute-and-cuddly new canine, it’s hard to beat fresh dog food. Most are made with super-premium ingredients, cooked up in US-based kitchens, and custom-formulated for your specific pet.

Fresh dog foods certainly aren’t cheap, but many owners are glad to cough up a little more cash to reap the rewards they provide by feeding one of these premium dog foods!

Purina Pro Plan Puppy Food

Purina Pro Plan Shredded Blend Puppy Food

About: Purina Pro Plan Shredded Blend Puppy Food is a high-quality puppy food, which will help keep your pup healthy and well-fed, while not destroying your bank account in the process. It isn’t quite as impressive as some of the premium kibbles on the market, but budget-limited owners can still feel good about this puppy dry dog food.

This puppy food is produced in several different formulations, called “platforms” by the manufacturer, such as “Savor,” “Sport” and “Focus.”

Cons

  • Contains poultry by-product meals, which are perfectly safe, but objectionable to some owners (your dog won’t mind, though).
  • Does not contain any antioxidant-rich fruits or veggies.
  • Made with garlic oil, which some owners like to avoid (though the quantities involved are likely inconsequential).

Pros

  • Most puppies appear to like the taste of this dog food.
  • An affordable, yet nutritious option for cost-conscious owners.
  • Most puppies digest this dog food without issue, possibly due to the included probiotics.
  • Fortified with DHA and fish oils to reduce inflammation and ensure proper development.

Nom Nom

https://olliepets.sjv.io/c/162112/899633/12309

About: Nom Nom’s fresh dog food is ideal for owners who don’t mind spending a bit more to give their pooch the very best. Custom-crafted for your pooch’s specific needs and made in the USA with fresh, US-sourced, restaurant-quality ingredients, you will love the way your pooch enjoys chowing down on this super-premium puppy food packed with fresh meat!

Cons

  • The only real downside to this dog food is the price — otherwise, we imagine every puppy owner would select this food.
  • Primarily designed as a subscription service (but you aren’t required to sign up for a subscription and you can cancel at any time).

Pros

  • Available in grain-free and grain-inclusive varieties.
  • Super-convenient home delivery alleviates the need to schlep to the pet store.
  • Pre-portioned packaging makes it easy to serve up dinner.
  • Unmatched taste — most puppies will do cartwheels for this dog food at dinnertime.
  • Packed with nutritious ingredients, including premium proteins and whole grains.
  • Some owners have noticed improvements in coat condition, elimination habits, and energy levels after feeding this dog food.

Nutro Large Breed Chicken & Brown Rice Puppy Food

Nutro Large-Breed Puppy Food

About: Nutro’s Large Breed Chicken & Brown Rice recipe is specifically designed to keep your large-breed pupper healthy, happy, and smackin’ his lips!

Drawing the bulk of its protein from deboned chicken and chicken meal, this puppy dry dog food has a meaty taste most dogs love. It’s also formulated with several whole grains and an assortment of colorful, tasty, and antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies.

Cons

  • We’d prefer if they’d identify the “natural flavors” used in the recipe.
  • Includes vegetable juice for color, which isn’t necessarily “bad,” but it is unnecessary.
  • It’d be a more attractive option if it included probiotics

Pros

  • Great puppy dry food option for large-breed puppies, who have different nutritional requirements than small- or medium-sized breeds.
  • Tasty recipe that most puppies appear to love.
  • Made with omega-3-rich ingredients to promote proper development and fight inflammation.

Taste of the Wild Grain-Free Puppy Food

Taste of the Wild Grain-Free Puppy Food

About: Taste of the Wild Grain-Free Puppy Food is a nutritionally balanced puppy kibble, available in two flavors: High Prairie, which contains bison and venison, and Pacific Stream, which is made from a variety of fish species.

These are relatively novel proteins for most puppies, which means that they’re great for young four-footers who’re allergic to chicken, beef, pork or other common meats.

Additionally, while most pups digest grains perfectly well, grain-free puppy foods like this one are a good option for those that do have a bona fide grain allergy or intolerance.

Pros

  • Included prebiotics and probiotics can help prevent tummy troubles.
  • Formulated with novel proteins, making this puppy dry dog food great for pups with some common food allergies.
  • Most dogs appear to love the taste of both recipes.

Cons

  • Grain-free recipes are only a good idea for dogs who have trouble with grains (a relatively rare problem).
  • Though most pups love the recipe, a not-insignificant number of puppies were not fond of the bison and venison recipe

Nutro ULTRA Puppy Food

Nutro ULTRA Puppy Food

About: Nutro ULTRA Puppy Food is a premium-quality dry puppy kibble that features a trio of proteins, including farm-raised chicken, pasture-fed lamb and salmon. It also includes whole brown rice and antioxidant-rich blueberries, spinach, pumpkin, kale, and other fruits and veggies.

This puppy dog food recipe is designed for small and medium-sized puppies, but Nutro also makes a large-breed version of ULTRA for big pups.

Pros

  • Made with healthy grains (whole brown rice)
  • Multi-protein recipe with real meat will help fuel your pup’s growth and development (and satisfy his palate!)
  • Packed with antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies

Cons

  • Pricier than some other kibbles
  • Multi-protein recipe is not ideal for some pups with food allergies

Hungry Bark Chicken & Brown Rice

hungry bark chicken

About: Hungry Bark is a unique dog food company that strives to produce a healthier, heartier kibble. You can order recipes with any of several different proteins, and they offer grain-inclusive and grain-free recipes (for puppies with a specific intolerance or allergy to grains).

With 27% protein composition and plenty of omega fatty acids and probiotics, this dog food provides all of the things a growing pupperino needs! Additionally, because it’s formulated for all life stages, your pooch can continue to enjoy this dog food well past puppyhood.

Plus, Hungry Bark uses sustainable packaging to help out the planet, and they match customer donations to the ASPCA at checkout. But that’s not all! Ready for another neat perk? If you opt for Hungry Bark’s Subscribe & Save option (which can be canceled at any time) you can save 20%!

Pros

  • Sustainable packaging
  • Heavy focus on chicken and turkey meats
  • Grain-inclusive recipes feature healthy, whole grains
  • Discounted subscription plan available

Cons

  • Quality and things like high protein levels come at a price, and this is not a cheap kibble
  • They only offer one grain-inclusive recipe

Merrick Whole Earth Farms Whole Grain Wet Puppy Food

Merrick Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Wet Puppy Food

About: Merrick Whole Earth Farms Whole Grain Wet Puppy Food is chicken, turkey and salmon-based wet puppy food, fortified with vitamins and minerals to ensure complete nutrition.

Pros

  • Contains antioxidant-rich sweet potatoes, carrots, and apples.
  • Unlike the majority of canned dog food on the market, this is a grain-inclusive recipe.
  • Includes several proteins, including organ meats.

Cons

  • May not be ideal for all dogs to digest (there were some complaints of tummy troubles).
  • Like most canned dog foods, this recipe lacks probiotics.
  • Inclusion of multiple proteins makes this a poor choice for pups with food allergies

Natural Balance Original Ultra Puppy Formula

Natural Balance Original Ultra Whole Body Health Wet Food

About: Natural Balance Original Ultra Whole Body Health Wet Food is a gluten-free wet puppy food, designed to nourish your puppy into adulthood.

Cons

  • Like most wet foods, it is difficult to store once opened. However, Natural Balance Original Ultra Whole Body Wet Food is available in both 6- and 13-ounce sizes, so consider purchasing the smaller size for smaller puppies.

Pros

  • Most dog owners report that their dog loves the taste of the product. Many like to use this wet food as a supplement to their puppies dry food, which improves the palatability of most bland kibbles.

Royal Canin Puppy Food

Royal Canin Puppy Food

About: Royal Canin Puppy Food is a small breed puppy food that comes fortified with a variety of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants to ensure your growing petite puppy gets all of the nutrition she needs.

Cons

  • Some small breed puppies didn’t seem to find this wet food palatable, and it gave some dogs digestive issues

Pros

  • Provides the nutrition small breed puppies needs, it also promotes a healthy, shiny coat

Canidae Limited Ingredient Diet Puppy

Canidae Limited Ingredient Diet Puppy Chicken Formula

About: Canidae Limited Ingredient Diet Puppy Formula is a wet food designed to provide your puppy with all of the nutrition he needs, without relying on any unnecessary ingredients, which may cause digestive problems or trigger food allergies.

But despite featuring only a relative handful of ingredients, this wet dog food still has a taste that most puppies will love. And though it doesn’t feature a lot of extra bells and whistles, this wet food is fortified with salmon oil, which provide your pooch with plenty of omega-3 fatty acids.

Cons

  • Though the grain-free recipe is perfect for pups with grain allergies or intolerances, most pups digest grains easily.
  • Like most canned foods, this is more expensive than a comparable kibble.
  • Obviously this wet food won’t work if your dog is allergic

Pros

  • Fortified with salmon oil for plenty of omega-3s.
  • A tasty LID recipe that appeals to many pups more than some other foods made from a handful of ingredients.
  • Some owners found that it made a great topper or mixer for puppies who normally eat an LID kibble.

Blue Wilderness Turkey & Chicken Grill Wet Puppy Food

Blue Wilderness Turkey & Chicken Grill

About: Blue Wilderness Turkey and Chicken Grill is a nutritious and meaty puppy-designed wet food that is designed to mimic the diet of wild canids.

Cons

  • There aren’t many problems with this puppy food, although a few dogs didn’t seem to digest it very well.

Pros

  • Most dogs appear to love this wet food, while owners appreciated the food’s coat- and skin-supporting benefits. Many owners were also pleased with the food’s reasonable price point.

How Much Dog Food Do Growing Puppies Need?

New owners are often unsure how much dog food to give their new puppy at mealtime.

Do you fill up her bowl? Just let her eat as much as she wants?

Some owners even make the mistake of leaving a bowl of dog food available at all times (called ad libitum or on-demand feeding).

In most cases, you should just follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging.

These puppy feeding recommendations usually fall within the veterinary-recommended range, although they are occasionally so broad that they are useless.

For example, a given dog food may advise providing your dog with 2 to 4 ½ cups of food per day. As you can see, the high-end of this range provides more than double the calories of the low-end recommendation, so that’s really not a helpful range.

Discuss your pup’s caloric needs with your veterinarian, but you can figure out a ballpark figure by applying a slightly complex formula, if you like.

It is usually advisable to provide your puppy’s food in three relatively small meals, spread throughout the day.

This will keep your little pup’s tummy full, prevent her from over-indulging at dinner time and also help her avoid intestinal troubles.

Try to feed your puppy’s meals at about the same time each day, and make sure that you discard any uneaten puppy food (particularly wet foods) within 20 to 30 minutes. This will help prevent your pet from eating spoiled food.

Once your dog has reached about 80% to 90% of her adult size, you can cut back to twice-daily feedings (although each meal will consist of relatively more dog food to ensure she still gets the calories she needs).

Additionally, you can transition her to a diet formulated for adults at this time. Just be sure to do so gradually, to avoid stressing her digestive system.

When Are Puppies Ready for Food?

Most breeders and shelters won’t release new puppies until they’re at least 8 weeks of age.

By this time, the puppies should already be fully weaned and ready to eat regular puppy food.

But if you end up caring for puppies that are younger than this, you’ll need to help wean them from milk to puppy food in a gradual manner.

You can usually start the weaning process once your puppy reaches 3.5 to 4.5 weeks of age. But you can’t just plop a bowl of dog food in front of your hungry pup and expect him to start chowing down.

Instead, you’ll need to make a “gruel” comprised of a small amount of wet or dry dog food, which has been mixed with milk replacement formula.

Gently press your puppy’s nose into the bowl, so he’ll start lapping up the milk (as well as the small bits of the food that are mixed in).

Over the next few weeks, you’ll gradually begin using less milk replacement formula in the mixture.

By 6 weeks of age, most puppies should be eating dog food without any milk replacement formula added.

Dog Food Brands to Avoid: Steering Clear of the Worst Puppy Foods

Understanding the things you want to look for when picking the best puppy food for your little one is important, but it is also important that you understand which dog food brands to avoid. We’ll try to help you do so below, as we explain some of the red flags you’ll want to watch out for.

  • Steer clear of mystery meats. You’ll want to steer clear of any dog foods with unidentified animal meals or fats derived from unidentified meats. For safety’s sake, it is best to avoid puppy foods that don’t indicate the sources for their additives. Meat meals and rendered fats are not inherently problematic, but you need to know from which animal these by-products originated.
  • Avoid puppy foods with artificial flavors or colors. Many of the worst puppy foods contain a variety of unnecessary additives in preservatives, so you’ll want to avoid these foods whenever possible. In most cases, the fewer the ingredients listed on the bag of dog food, the better.
  • Try to avoid puppy foods with processed or enriched grains. Grains are usually perfectly acceptable carbohydrates for puppies, but there are some grains that are better for dogs than others. Whole grains are much better for your pooch than refined or processed grains are. Refined grains typically lack the fiber content of unrefined grains, and they won’t keep your pet full for very long, either.

Do Puppies Need a Grain-Free Puppy Food?

There’s a lot of talk about grain-free dog foods, which causes many new owners to begin looking for the best grain-free puppy food.

But this begs the question: Do puppies need a grain-free puppy food?

Generally speaking, no — while grain-free dog food diets are preferable in some specific circumstances (such as dogs who are allergic to a specific type of grain), they aren’t usually necessary.

In fact, the FDA has released some information that indicates a correlation between grain-free dog food and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

For this reason, it’s not recommended to feed your dog a grain-free diet unless other factors are at play, such as allergies.

Some grains are certainly better for your pet than others (for example, whole grains are much healthier than enriched or processed grains), but there’s no reason to deliberately seek out a grain-free recipe for a typical, healthy puppy.

Can You Use a Homemade Puppy Food for Your New Pet?

  • A lot of owners consider making a homemade puppy food for their new pet. It’s certainly possible to do so, but it’s generally not a good idea.
  • Creating a homemade food for adult dogs is tricky at best, and it requires a lot more research and expertise than the average owner is willing or able to invest.
  • And because a puppy’s nutritional needs are even more challenging to satisfy than those of adults, it’s wiser to simply rely on a commercially prepared diet that is specifically designed to meet the needs of growing puppies.
  • If you have your heart set on feeding your pet a homemade food, just wait until your little floof has reached adulthood (and then be sure that you work closely with your vet while designing the recipe).

When and how often should I feed my puppy?

It’s recommended that you feed your puppy three relatively small meals, spread throughout the day.

Morning, noon, and evening are common feeding times. This will keep your pup’s stomach satisfied while avoiding any intestinal troubles.

How much food should I feed my puppy?

Follow the puppy food manufacturer’s guidelines on how much to feed your puppy. Generally, this can be anywhere from 2-5 cups or more depending on your puppy’s current size and estimated adult size.

 

How do I know if my puppy is a large breed?

Puppy paws can sometimes be used as an indicator of full adult size. If your unknown origin puppy has unusually large paws, chances are he may be a large breed pup. However, dog DNA tests are the only surefire way to know your puppy’s breed.

What breeds are at greatest risk for hip dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia is more likely to affect larger breed dogs. For this reason, it’s important to feed these pups specialized large breed puppy food which is formulated to lower risks of hip dysplasia.

When should I switch my puppy to adult food?

You can switch your puppy to adult dog food once she has reached 80% – 90% of her adult size. Usually this happens around 9-12 months for small breeds and 12-24 months for larger breeds.

Edward Hollon is an avid dog lover and writer, knowing all there is to know about our furry friends. Edward has been writing for petdii for three years now, wanting to use her knowledge for good and share everything she can with new dog owners. Edward has two dogs herself - a German shepherd called Banjo and a chocolate labrador called Buttons. Edward knows more than anyone how adjusting to new life with a puppy can turn your life upside down, and she wants to ease some of the burdens through her articles.